Wave-power propeller for boats



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. S. S. SMITH. WAVE POWER PROPELLERFORBOATS.

No. 529,882. Patented Nov.- 27, 1894..

(No Model.) 4 Sheets--Sheet 2.

s; s. SMITH. WAVE POWER PROPELLER FOR BOATS.

No. 529,882. Patented Nov. 27, 1-894.

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S. S. SMITH. WAVE POWER PROPELLER FOB. BOATS.

No. 529,88Z. Patented Nov. 27,1894.

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WAVE POWER PROPELLEB FOR BOATS. NO. 529,882.

Pateni zed Nov. 27, 1894.

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WAVE- POWER PROPELLER FOR BOATS SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 529,882, dated November 2'7, 1894.

Application filed December 11, 1893- Serial No. 493,386- (No model.)

To all whom it may'po rtccrn: j

Be it known that I, SIDNEY S. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented a new and useful Mechanism for Utilizing Wave-Power in thePropulsion of Boats, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, in explaining its nature.

The invention relates to meansor devices attached to the sides or to thebow or stern or both, of boats, for utilizing wave power in thepropulsion of said boats, either as the primary motive force, or as anauxiliary to other propelling devices, such as sails, screws, &c.

I have illustrated my invention as carried into action by means ofblades which are arranged in suitable frames attached to the boat, andwhich by their inclination present such surfaces to the waves that thepower arising from the vertical movement of the water, and in someinstances of the boat, is caused to act against the blades, and in adirection or manner to cause them and the boat to be moved in a forwardor onward direction.

The invention further relates to the manner of supporting the blades,and of connecting their frames with the boat or vessel, and forproviding the frames with vertical adjustability and with othermovements in relation to the sides of the vessel, which will hereinafterbe fully set forth.

The invention further relates to means for Varying the inclination andextent of movement of the blades.

In the drawings,Figure 1 is a view in side elevation representing thehull of a boat provided withmy improvement. Fig. 2 is a view in planenlarged of the forward part of a hullhaving my improvements. Fig. 3 isa view enlarged in vertical section of one side of a hull, and of thepropelling devices on that side. Fig; 4 is also a sectional viewenlarged, illustrating other features of construction which willhereinafterbe more fully described. Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 aredetail views further illustrating the construction.

The hull A may be of any suitable form or size, and it may be propelledby the devices hereindescribed alone, or it may be a sailing or steamvessel, in which case the appliances which are the subject of thisinvention are used as auxiliary propelling devices.

I will first describe the form of my invention used upon the sides ofthe vessel, and which embrace a long frame B for each side. As thisframe and its operative parts and connections with the vessel are thesame for both sides, a description of one side will be sufficient. Theframe B is preferably rectangular or substantially rectangular in shape,and is of very nearly the full length of the vessel at its water line.It is constructed of any suitable material, and it may be of wood or itmay beof metal. For small boats wood will answer. For relatively largevessels an iron framework is preferable. 7 It has the inner rail 1), andthe outer rail 12', and these two parts are firmly tied together. 1 Theframe should-be vertically adjustable in relation to the side of thevessel, because the height of the vessel above the water variesaccording to the load which it carries, and because it is desirable toadjust the vertical position of the frame to variations in theundulating or wave conditions of the water. l It will be understood thatthe frame is carried at some distance from the upper level of the water,in order that the downward movement of the waves as well as their upwardmovement maybeutilized. Itisalsonecessary to vary the angle of theblades and frame in relation to thesides of the vessel to suit theconditions of the wind and waves, and also for the purpose of enablingthe frame to be turned upward to bring it'alongsidethe vessel when at awharf or passing through draw-bridges, &c., and this result is reachedby hinging the frame upon its inner side to the part or holder whichprovides its vertical movement. This part or holder is lettered 0. SeeFig. 1. It is in effect a slide, the ends or sections 0, of which slideand are guided in vertical slideways or guides 0, upon the side of thevessel, seeFig. 5, which shows the slide and slidewaysas having adovetail construction. moved vertically by means of the adjusting screwso which are turned by the hand wheels 0 operated from the deck or othermeans, the screws being fast to the vessel and turning in nuts 0 on therail.

The slide is The angle of the frame in its relation to the vessels sideis changed and it is turned upward by means of the links D, which arepivoted at their outer ends at cl to the outer side of the frame, and attheir inner ends to nuts d which are vertically movable by the screws dSee Figs. 1 and 4. These screws are turned by hand wheels d or in anyother desired way are made fast to the vessel, and engage the nuts cl.

The blades E, carried by the frame B, are pivoted at or near their uppercorners e, to the frame, and are relatively long, narrow and thin. Theyare also made preferably as light as possible, and in Fig. 9 I show insection a shape of blade which I prefer. This blade is made preferablyof thin sheet metal or hard rubber, and has the straight surface E, andthe curved surface E and a cavity E which may be air-tight. 'When thistype of blade is used, I prefer that the flat surface be the under one.It is desirable to limit the range of movement of these blades, and alsoto vary such range according to the condition of the water and for otherreasons, and this result I accomplish by means of the stop-bars F, F,the first above the blades and the second below them, both bars runningthe full length of the bladed section of the frame, and being connectedat each end by the pivoted bars or linksf, see Fig. 8, which are in turnpivoted to the cross-rods f at the center f of their length. One of therods f has hearings in the frame to turn therein, and is rigidly securedto the link, and this rod has at its inner end an arm f see Fig. 7,preferably extending upward and then bent horizontally to enter the longrecess f in the forked end f of the lever f this lever being pivoted atand extending above the deck and being locked into any desirableposition by means of a pin f passing through one of a series of holes ineach of the locking platesf", and throughahole in the lever. See Fig. 7.The bars F, F are thus provided with an opening and closing movementrelatively to each other and uniformly as regards the center of theblades, and there is thus obtained means for controlling and regulatingthe extent of movement or swing of the blades. These slideways, orrather the parts which provide the slideways for the frame, slides c,extend. to very nearly the level of the keel of the vessel, and must beunited to the side of the vessel and firmly braced, and in Fig. 3 I haveshown such parts as bolted to the sides and braced to the bottom by therods g, g.

The frames I-I,H', at the bow and stern of the vessel respectively,carry blades like the blades E. They are provided with a swingingmovement, and the angle which they bear to the frame is adjustable. Eachframe is pivoted at its inner end It, to the vessels end and preferablyupon a line with or close to the keel, and it is moved or adjusteddownward or upward by means of the link It, pivoted at its lower end tothe frame, and having at its upper end a nut h which travels on thethreaded shaft 7121116 shaft having on its upper end a hand Wheel h bywhich it is turned. The link it also serves as a stay or brace forholding the frame in any desired position. The upward movement of theblades carried by these frames is limited by stops, their lower positionby the bar 72/ see Fig. 10, which is connected with cross rods h by thehanging links If, and with a push or draw rod 7&8 by a link h".

The device operates in propelling a vessel in the following way, and Iwill first describe the action of the side blades. Awave rising causesthe blades to be turned upward until they come in contact with theirupper stops, when they are prevented from turning farther. The upwardmovement of the Wave continuing working against the inclined bladesgives a distinct forward impulse to them and the vessel. As it recedesor falls back, the volume of water above the blades (and it must beunderstood that the blades are quite a little below the normal surfaceof the water) bearing upon the upper surface of the blades forces themdownward until they come in contact with their lower stop when theirprogress is arrested, and the weight of the water then coming upontheinclined surfaces again, gives adistinct onward movement to theblades, and through them to the vessel, and this action continues as thewaves rise and fall. The frames are adjusted vertically, and the bladesvaried as to their angle by their controlling stops or bars ascircumstances may require.

The action of the blades carried by the bow and stern frames is somewhatdifierent from that of the side blades, owing chiefly to the angle atwhich their supporting frames are held in relation to the boat, theangle being such that the blades present practically a continuoussurface from the lower to the upper end of the frame to the water, whenthere is a vertical movement of waterupward, or of the blades downward,the latter action being produced by the lifting and falling of the bowor stern of the vessel, which movement is thus made available forcausing a propelling action of the blades.

The blades may be attached to any kind of a vessel or object movable inthe water.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States 1. A device for propelling boatsby wave power comprising horizontal frames attached to the sides of avessel to project horizontally therefrom and carrying blades extendingin a direction substantially at a right angle to the keel of the boatand arranged to present surfaces inclined to the movements of the waves,and means for vertically adjusting said frames upon the vessels sides,as and for the purposes described.

2. In a device for propelling boats by wave power, frames attached tothe sides of a vessel to project horizontally therefrom and car-- IIOrying blades arranged to present surfaces inclined to the movements ofthe waves and means for turning said frames to a vertical positionparallel with and adjacent to the sides of the vessel, as and for thepurposes described.

3. In a device for propelling boats by wave power, slideways secured tothe vessels sides, slides or a sliding frame guided by said slidewaysand vertically movable by screws operated from the vessels deck, framescarrying propelling blades hinged upon their inner sides to saidvertically movable slides and combined bracing, adjusting and frameelevating devices comprising stay rods and screw shafts to engage nutscarried by the stay rods, which shafts are operated from the vesselsdeck, substantially as described.

4. In a device for propelling boats by wave power, the combination witha frame carrying a series of pivoted or hinged blades, of the bars F Fabove and below the said blades and connected together, and means formoving saidbars toward and from each other, substantially as described.

5. In a device for propelling boats by wave power, a frame carryingpropelling blades and attached to the boat at either end thereof at ornear its keel by a hinge or similar connectherefrom and carryingpropelling blades, an

adjusting screw connected with said frame by a stay link and means forvarying the position or angle of the blades in the frame, as and for thepurposes described.

. SIDNEY S. SMITH.

Witnesses:

F. F. RAYMOND,2d, J. M. DoLAN.

